The new cub, transferred to the Minnesota Zoo from the Saint Louis Zoo on July 19, was born July 1 and had been hand-reared since her birth. To ensure the best socialization, animal care staff from both the Saint Louis Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo, along with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Tiger Species Survival Plan Coordinator, decided the new cub should complete her hand-rearing at the Minnesota Zoo with its resident cub, born June 17 and also hand- reared by staff. Hand-rearing was necessary in both cases because the mothers did not successfully nurse the cubs.  

After landing at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, with transportation provided through an in-kind donation by Delta Air Lines, the tiger cub was brought directly to the Minnesota Zoo where she was given an examination by veterinarians. She then joined the Zoo’s resident tiger cub in their secure holding area. With both tiger cubs being hand-raised, the Zoo hopes the social interaction between them enforces their natural tiger behaviors.

Minnesota Zoo staff is excited for the new addition: “I am proud to be part of such an important collaboration,” says Diana Weinhardt, the Minnesota Zoo’s Northern Trail supervisor. “Working with the Saint Louis Zoo to provide the best social situation for these cubs has been a highlight of my zoo career. We are doing everything we can to make this the best possible situation.”

Adds Steve Bircher, curator of mammals at the Saint Louis Zoo: “Tigers learn from other tigers, so that kind of socialization with a cub her age will be good for this cub.” Amur tigers, managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Tiger Species Survival Plan® (SSP), have been part of the Minnesota Zoo’s Northern Trail exhibit since the Zoo opened in 1978.  Zoo staff members have coordinated the Tiger SSP for more than two decades, and continue to lead efforts conserving tigers in the wild.

The Minnesota Zoo is one of 13 coalition members that comprise the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (amur-leopard.org) . These coalition members pool their resources to help support conservation efforts for wild Amur tigers and leopards.  Since 2007, the Minnesota Zoo, in cooperation with other North American zoos, has helped raise over $90,000 for these efforts.

Minnesota Zoo staff also coordinates the Tiger SSP’s new Tiger Conservation Campaign, aimed at raising awareness about the plight of wild tigers and funding for their conservation.  Since January 2012, the Minnesota Zoo and its young professionals organization, AZUL, have raised nearly $15,000 for this program in support of anti-poaching efforts in the Russian Far East, as well as the formation of a Tiger Health Support Program.  To learn about and contribute to these efforts, visit mnzoo.org/tigerssp/campaign and
facebook.com/tigercampaign.

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Background and Project
During the recovery of this species from near extinction in the early 1900s, cattle interbred with bison in many locations. Recent scientific advances estimate that less than one percent of the world’s remaining American bison are free of cattle hybridization – posing a serious threat to the long-term conservation of pure wild bison across the nation.

The new effort will help protect the genetic diversity of this native Minnesota species and educate Minnesotans about the bison’s conservation story and the important roles bison (and other large herbivores) play in our prairie ecosystem.

“American bison were the first wildlife species that zoos actively worked to help save, with a small herd originating from the Bronx Zoo being returned to the wild in 1907 to help restore the species in the Western Plains,” said Minnesota Zoo Director/CEO Lee Ehmke. “A strategic priority of the Minnesota Zoo is to increase awareness and to actively participate in the restoration of the prairie ecosystems that once occupied vast areas of Minnesota. Helping to expand the population and range of a keystone species like the bison, in collaboration with our colleagues at the DNR, is exactly the sort of conservation action our Zoo is committed to engage in.”

Courtland Nelson, director, DNR Division of Parks and Trails added: “We are very excited to be able to work with Minnesota Zoo staff to help preserve and expand the number of plains bison in Minnesota being managed for species conservation and ecological restoration. By signing this memorandum of agreement today, we will be helping Minnesota play a greater role in preserving one of the icons of the North American conservation movement and providing additional opportunities for visitors to see and learn more about these magnificent animals and the prairie ecosystems they inhabit.”

The project will begin in the fall of 2012.

About Bison
Massive and thick-coated, bison – the largest land animals in North America – were once the icons of North America’s Great Plains. They were the most abundant, with an estimated 30 to 60 million animals, before European settlement. Bison were hunted to near extinction in the 1800s, with populations down to less than 600 before protective measures were put into place. Currently, there are approximately 19,000 total plains bison in 54 conservation herds (herds managed in the public interest by governments and environmental organizations); the species is considered near-threatened and conservation-dependent.

About Blue Mounds State Parks
Since 1961, Blue Mounds State Park has been home to Minnesota’s only wild bison. Located in southwestern Minnesota, the bison range across more than 500 acres of prairie and outcrops of Sioux quartzite within the 1,600 acre park.  About 100 bison call the park their home and can be observed by visitors year-round.

See a video of the bison

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The Zoo has become a permanent vehicle drop-off site for Courage Center’s Cars for Courage program. Cars can be dropped off from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. To schedule a drop off, contact Cars for Courage at (763) 520-0540 or toll-free at 1-888-440-CARS, or e-mail at janinet@courage.org.

Donating to Cars for Courage is easy, and eliminates the hassle and cost of trading or selling a used vehicle. Plus, donors can get a tax deduction for the fair market value of their vehicle. Cars for Courage is an essential source of income for Courage Center, a 75 year-old nationally-known rehabilitation and resource center for people with disabilities. Each year Courage services helps more than16,000 people with disabilities receive the tools, training, and services they need to become more independent.

MORE INFORMATION : 763-520-0540, 1-888-440-CARS (2277), www.courage.org

About Cars for Courage:
When you donate your vehicle to Cars for Courage, you are allowed a tax deduction for the fair market value, just as you would with a cash gift. Courage Center provides donation receipts and available book value information. Vehicles must be in good, sellable condition and are sold for the highest possible return. Proceeds support Courage Center’s services for people with disabilities to live more independently.

About Courage Center:
Courage Center is a nationally-known, not-for-profit rehabilitation and resource center for people with physical disabilities, brain injuries, speech or vision impairments, or hearing loss. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Courage Center offers comprehensive, life-long services to people of all ages. Courage Center’s wide-ranging services are designed to empower people with disabilities to reach their full potential in every aspect of life.

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